Short back-to-school sales tax holiday starts same day classes do for Rome, Floyd. Also: List of school start dates. Buckle opens July 30 at mall; retina specialists coming to Rome. Regional Public Health restaurant scores. 40% rain chance, high of 88.

For more on these updates plus for today's latest headlines, please see www.hometownheadlines.com: 

 

Ware Mechanical forecast:

.40% chance of rain today, including the possibility of some severe thunderstorms. High again: 88. Drier, warmer weekend ahead.

Headlines:

• Back-to-school sales tax holiday starts the same day Rome, Floyd students return to class -- and ends the next day. School start dates
• Buckle opens July 30; hiring begins. Retina specialists opening in Rome. Berry Student Enterprises open farmers market. Business
• Regional Public Health restaurant inspections for July 3-9. Dining
• Floyd County Jail reports: 4 a.m., 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Crimewatch

Regular features:

• Northwest Georgia's best source for job leads. Click Career Builder
• It's not to late to join dozens of summer camps under way in our area. Summer Camp
  

Chick-fil-A Dwarf House Sports Report

• Rome Braves salvage final game of the road trip, a 4-0 win over Asheville.
• Tonight: At home vs. Hickory, 7 p.m. start.
• Home game photos by Mills Fitzner. Gallery 
  
• Links to latest updates from Berry, Shorter (updated football information), Georgia Northwestern and Georgia Highlands.

Hometown Headlines Radio Edition now on 98.7 FM and 1470 AM

• 7-9 a.m. weekdays, Click to listen live online
• Please join our guests including:
• Steven Nelson, science officer for the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, on the new SAILS radar coming to the Peachtree City office. It will mean quicker detection of storms in our area and elsewhere.
• Rep. Jack Kingston, one of two Republicans in the July 22 runoff to determine who faces Democrat Michelle Nunn in the Nov. 4 general election to succeed Saxby Chambliss.